1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling systems, and more particularly relates to a method and system for selecting a presentation mode of an information handling system, such as selecting presentation of information from a portable computer through a projector.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally process, compiles, stores and/or communicates information or data for business, personal or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
The use of a variety of hardware and software components with information handling systems sometimes leads to difficulty in configuring the systems to operate properly. For instance, one common difficulty is the configuring of computer systems to display information from different types of display devices, such as cathode ray tubes (CRT) and liquid crystal displays (LCD). To aid in the configuration of display devices, the WINDOWS operating system offers functionality in which the computer system BIOS detects devices during boot and cooperates with the operating system to configure the computer interfacing with the detected display devices. Although this functionality simplifies the process of interfacing a display device with a computer system, it is generally limited to use in system boot and is generally not able to dynamically detect added video devices and switch to them on the fly. Thus, a computer running WINDOWS in an operational state is generally not able to select a display device added after boot and is thus not able to configure display settings for the added device, such as resolution settings.
One difficult situation often faced by computer users is the interfacing of a projector with a portable computer, such as a laptop, to make a presentation. For instance, a portable computer stores presentation information, such as a presentation in POWERPOINT, and is interfaced with a projector for showing the presentation information on a screen. In order to select the projector to receive the presentation information, the portable computer typically must initiate a signal to a port interfaced with the projector and then must configure the presentation information for the projector, such as by setting the portable computer for a desired resolution associated with the projector. One manner for switching the display of presentation information to select the projector is to toggle through display modes by a keyboard interface with the BIOS of the portable computer. For instance, hitting the function and F8 keys simultaneously commands the BIOS to sequence the portable computer through three presentation modes: an LCD only presentation mode in which presentation of information is only through the LCD of the portable computer; a CRT only presentation mode in which display of information is only through a video port of the portable computer; and a simulscan presentation mode in which presentation of information is through both the LCD and the video port of the portable computer.
Although toggling through presentation modes with the keyboard function allows a portable computer user to select a presentation mode for presentation of information through a projector, this toggling function is inconvenient and difficult to use and often does not result in an optimal display of the presentation information over the projector. For instance, when a user sets up for a presentation the user is often under time pressure and in front of an audience. In some cases, the user lacks the time or opportunity to test the projector being used and sometimes must even connect the portable computer to the projector for the first time in front of the audience. Assuming the projector gets a signal from the portable computer and presents information, the user still must set the resolution of the projector to obtain an optimal presentation. For a user under pressure and in front of an audience, the first impression often sets the tone of the presentation, and fumbling with a projector and portable computer is hardly the first impression that the user desires for any audience.